Father of Ichimonji
by Uesugi
Summary: This is a prelude i made to the movie Ran. This is my first fic, i dont take flames lightly. please R/R { rated PG13 for violence, language, and mild sexual themes} okay okay chapter 4 is up but noe you better r/r
1. Fort Kikkawa

Note: original story by Akira Kurosawa, the names Hidetora, Ayabe and Fujimaki, are also, so there are not mine, but this prelude is my idea, and many of the names are my own.

                      **_FATHER OF ICHIMONJI:_** **_RAN PRELUDE_**                         

                 Chapter 1: Fort Kikkawa

                                                                                                                                      On the Winter of 1521, in the province of Yamato, Ichimonji Hidetora was born. His father Ichimonji Kurogane was a Samurai who worked for Tachi Kitaru, a local lord. Lord Tachi was at the time, the most powerful Lord in Yamato. 

                                                                                                                                      On Fall, 1531 Lord Tsununari of Bungo attacked Yamato. At the time, Lord Tachi had two castles. One was Inabaya castle {called First Castle in Ran} and the other was Kato castle {Third Castle in Ran}. Kato was a small castle with a small garrison. He also had two forts. One was a small one called Miki, and the other was Fort Kikkawa. Korugane was a captain, and at the time , was captain of the soldiers at the fort. * **in Tachi's court*** "My lord, Tsununari surrounded Fort Kikkawa with 400 men!" "What? Tsununari?" "Yes, my lord" "Captain Ichimonji is defending it with only 60 men!"                                         

                                                                                                                                      At Fort Kikkawa, Korugane decided to fight Tsununari. "Let us defend this fort, or die trying" His archers started firing. Tsununari's captain Sonji Otani was hit in his eye. Korugane could see Otani falling off his horse, and crawling over to an area of the field where there were thirteen dead bodies. All were men of Tsununari. He soon died of his wound. Korugane then ordered his men to drop burning logs to stop the enemy calvary's advance. The first made a horse fall over, injuring the rider. Another log knocked off a footman's leg. In a hour, over ninety of Tsununari's men died. With rumor of Tachi reinforcing Korugane with six hundred men, Tsununari retreated, but his retreat path was cut off by three hundred fifty of Tachi's Captain Shingen Akizuki's men. Tsununari was forced to commit Seppuko {Hara Kiri} a month later.

                                                                                                                                      Korugane was promoted to master of Kato castle   

***at Kato Castle***  "Otsu, what is wrong?" {Otsu was Korugane's wife}

" You risked your life for Tachi, yet all he does is give you this small castle, that could be lost in a matter of minutes". "How dare you!" " Tachi is a greedy bastard. He is waiting for you to die in a siege, so he can take back his castle."  "How dare you imply……" " So he has fooled you  hasn't he? You sh………." "Enough!" " Retire, Otsu!"


	2. Otsu's Angst

          Notes: I took the name "Otsu" from the 1954 movie "Samurai". The name "Tachi" comes from a Daimyo {province lord} of the Tachi samurai family in the 16th century. Tsununari comes from the name Hojo Tsununari who was a samurai in the 16th century.                                                   

                                             Otsu's Angst

***in Otsu's Chambers*** Otsu had a bad feeling about Kurogane being lord of Kato castle. She felt it's garrison was too small to defend it if Lord Niu would attack. " Mayabe {that's the maiden's name} if Kurogane would die, who would Tachi replace him with? " That would be Shingen Akizuki, my lady" Otsu then dismissed Maiden Mayabe.

o " My lord, Tachi is coming with nine hundred men!" "Why" " We don't

o know yet." " Warn our men!" " Hai {yes in Japanese}" " How could this be?" Kurogane gathered together his garrison of 300 men.

· ***at Tachi's line of soldiers* ** " My lord, Kurogane has gathered his 300 men at the gates of Kato castle" " What?, tell him not to receive me with his men." " Hai" " Does he actually think I am attacking him?"

o " Kurogane! Do not receive his lord with your army. Receive  him properly." Kurogane dismissed all of his men, exept for fifteen of his most trusted Samurai.

o To show he is not attacking, Tachi made his men walk in a straight line one behind the other. " tell Kurogane that I want a counsel."

o  * At the counsel* " Kurogane, I want to attack Niu and Yukisu from here. If we combine our men together, we will have 1,200 soldiers. Then 350 men from Captain Akizuki would make it 1,550 men, and 50 men under Retainer Taketaru would make it 1,600 men!" " 1,600?"  " Yes, General Kurogane." " His lordship has made me a General?" "Yes" " Now Niu has 800 men and Yukisu has 700." " They would probably join together to fight our army with 1,500 men." '" It would be an interesting battle." { Taketaru said that} " It is already dark, and I am tired. I shall rest." " Hai  everyone in the counsel said that}"

o " Murder, Murder!" " What happended?" {Kurogane said it} " A Guard was killed." " The phycsion said it was poison" When Kurogane went back to his chambers, he saw Otsu. " What happened Otsu?" " I poisoned the guard captain's sake."  "What!? You bitch!" "Bitch, why would I be a bitch for trying to protect you?" " Protect me from what?" " Tachi's plot." " What plot?" " Tachi is plotting to kill you." " How dare you, that is insane!" " Insane? Is it I who is insane?"  * Otsu leaves*


	3. The Attack

                                                               The Attack

At the Yamato encampment: The 1,600 soldiers were eating their poor meals: two riceballs and some water. The generals however, were eating roasted boar, white rice, fish, and drank expensive Sake. General Konishi: " My lord." Lord Tachi: " Yes?" Konishi: " Yukisu and Niu have joined forces." " I am aware, Konishi, but still, we still have more troops." "But the enemy troops are being well fed." " Fool, that is because their province has more Koku than ours'." " But, that means their morale will be greater than our's." " Quiet, you fool!" " But…." " That's enough, Konishi." " Tell the troops to build their tents."  "Yes" 

The next day: " Organize the soldiers." " Yes" " Today, we attack Yukisu and Niu." The soldiers held their Yari {spears} and banners up. The main banners were: Tachi's, White with characters that read "Bear of Yamato"; Konishi's were Red with his family name engraved in Black; And Kurogane's were Yellow with the Ichimonji clan's crest engraved on it { like Hidetora's} Niu had black banners with his province's name on it. Yukisu's was Green with his name on it. Tachi had split half his forces into two groups of 400 men. He kept the full half. Konishi and Kurogane each took 400 men.

                                The Battle of Hunjo no Kira

Tachi had his Archers firing behind his Spearmen. His spearmen's charge almost wiped out Yukisu's cavalry. Then something caught Kurogane's attention. He saw that Niu's force was almost completely Ashigaru. They were armed with short spears. When Tachi was told, he laughed, and sent 1,000 men to obliterate the enemy. After a short time of fighting, 450 out of the 600 Ashigaru under Niu were killed. Niu then fled into a nearby forest with his 350 men. Ignoring his advisers, Tachi sent 500 cavalrymen after Niu. He wanted to kill Niu. When Tachi's men got into the forest,  they were ambushed. 300 spearmen came from each side of the woods. All of those 500 cavalrymen were killed. Tachi retreated back to Yamato.

The reason Tachi didn't think the enemy had more soldiers on the field was because he was misinformed. He was told Niu had 800 men, when Niu really had 1,400 men.


	4. Retaliation

Note: if you're going to read this, then review.  Now I accept flames, but I wont take too much shit from anyone. But feel free to flame. 

                                     Retaliation 

          " How humiliating this is! How could I loose my chance for glory?" " My lord, everyone fails one time or another. Have patience and you will get another chance." " * Takes deep breath* Now I have less than a thousand men! How can I loose almost 700 men in one battle?" " Just have patience, my lord." " Yes, leave Shima." " Yes, my lord."

          In summer, 1543, Tachi gathered an army of 2,000 men. In his court, he made summoned his counsel.  " Kurogane, I have reached my goal of gathering 2,000 men to attack Niu and Yukisu." " Yes, I am aware. Our spies say Niu has 1,100 men and Yukisu has 900." " So we are even with them?" "Yes"  " I want to attack them next season."

          In Niu's court room: " Tachi is a fool, who still believes he is a strong warlord." " He is a conceded bastard!" " We must raise an army large enough to destroy him." "My lord, we can make an alliance with the Great Lord Shimazu. He has over 30,000 samurai in his army!" " Send an emissary to Shimazu!" "Yes."

          By November of 1543, Lord Shimazu accepted Niu's proposal for an alliance. By 1543, Hidetora was 22 years old and was made a captain by Tachi. Shimazu sent 3000 soldiers to aid Niu and Yukisu. By January, 1544,  Tachi had started gathering a larger force. It took him until April, 1544 for him to gather an army of 4000. Tachi was growing impatient, but his advisors kept telling him to wait. This lead to a crisis in Tachi's court.

          On July 24th, 1544, in Tachi's court room, there was a long argument. "We only have a thousand soldiers less than Niu, Yukisu and Toyotoma {Shimazu's General}. " We cannot wait any longer. Shimazu will soon send more troops to aid Niu and Yukisu."

" No, we must wait until the enemies are off their guard." " Shit!" " Quiet Ikoma. You are in no position to speak!" ' Forgive me for my rudeness, but I wish to see the battlefield. I think we should destroy Toyotoma's samurai." " Though Ikoma is rude, he is right…. in a way. if we send a unit of maybe… about 1,500 troops into Kobayakamura forest, which is in the Naomasa area of Sanjuru, we may ambush and destroy Shimazu Toyotoma's troop." " No, that is too risky." " How frustrating this is! I have waited for almost ten months!" " Auugh. Let us end this court." " Hai!"


End file.
